


A Layover in Paradise

by badgerlock



Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Humor, Romance, What else is new?, fluffy stuff, kyoya is awkward and haruhi is oblivious
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-27
Updated: 2016-06-16
Packaged: 2018-05-03 13:39:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5293166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badgerlock/pseuds/badgerlock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kyouya never expected to meet his high school love when he boarded a plane. Can he turn their 15-hour layover in Amsterdam into an opportunity to finally reveal his feelings? Kind of fluffy, but a good read, I promise!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is my first fanfiction! (That I've actually written down, in any case; I've got plenty more story seeds just lying around in my brain :) This is up on ffnet too, same username and title! So, this is more of a character study made possible by some KyouHaru fluff, and hopefully minimal drama. I've been wanting to write something cute like this for a while and these characters were perfect for what I had in mind. Read it, review it, favorite it, love it. Hope you enjoy!

Trust the weather to always make his plans go awry.

The tall, lean young man sat back in his chair, sighing at the screen of his laptop, its glow reflecting off of his glasses. He was dressed smartly but casually, in dark jeans and a sweater over a button-down shirt, his messenger bag at his side. He looked, for all the world, like an ordinary graduate student waiting for his flight, albeit one waiting in the high-end lounge of Boston's airport, his bodyguards seated unobtrusively near him. Yet Ootori Kyouya, heir to one of the largest multinational corporations in the world, was anything but ordinary. And today, he was being forced to fly commercial.

Thinking about that again, Kyouya involuntarily shuddered. But the huge typhoon developing in the Pacific, grounding all of his family's private jets and blocking all air traffic, left him no other choice. _At least it's first-class,_ he thought as he glanced at his watch and smoothly shut the lid of his computer. The Ootori name held power even during last-minute bookings on already full flights. _Whatever good that does me_ , Kyouya added grumpily to himself. He had looked at his tickets in dismay, noting the 15-hour layover in Amsterdam with a grim smile, thinking that it might at least give him some time to sleep. The merger had gone well, better than well in fact, but it had left him little time for any kind of rest at all, as he looked over paperwork obsessively and reviewed business texts for his classes until the early hours of the morning. In fact, he had been so busy with his work the past year and a half that he had completely missed all of the Host Club get-togethers, a fact he reflected on ruefully. For all his complaining about expenses and dignity, the Shadow King truly missed those years of high school, especially the time with his friends. Being a high-power business mogul was a lonely life.

He woke from his reverie with a start. He was likely to miss things in more than the metaphorical sense if he kept delaying like this. Kyouya got to his feet, ran his hands through his hair, and stretched, smiling at some girls who were observing him with shy giggles from another side of the lounge, then looked at his watch again. Drat. He really was very late. But woe to any pilot, or, for that matter, airline, who dared leave without the Ootori heir, he vowed, moving at a respectable pace to his gate. The Low Blood Pressure Demon Lord was a force to be reckoned with, even when exhausted.

oOoOo

Luckily, he boarded without incident, although bombarded with hostesses and airline representatives seeking to get into his good graces. Finally, he made his way to his seat and sank into it. Honestly, its comfort made up for all of the indignities of the past few hours. A small frown came to his face as he remembered something, digging his phone out of his pocket. _Missed calls: Suoh Tamaki (idiot) – 8. Voicemails: Suoh Tamaki (idiot) – 3._ That was it. When he was working, Kyouya tended to ignore all distractions, which basically involved any kind of external stimulus. Well, the idiot would just have to wait, as the plane was starting to fill up and he wanted to rest. It was probably just Tamaki whining about how he hadn't gotten a call from "Mommy" (RE: Kyouya) in a few weeks. Or, more likely, it would be a 10-minute speech on the merits of the Home Shopping Network, a curious kind of channel that proved Tamaki had no backbone whatsoever when it came to buying things. In fact, his last four birthday presents for Kyouya had come off of it.

He allowed himself a small laugh as he remembered his 23rd birthday with the rest of the Host Club, two years ago, as Tamaki had waited with the stars in his eyes as Kyouya had carefully peeled away the dancing clown gift-wrap and then gazed in expressionless distaste at the object in front of him. Everyone had gathered around for the opening of gifts, and as they caught sight of Tamaki's present, the twins had howled with laughter and Haruhi took care to snap a picture of everyone at the table at that exact moment.

"What… is the meaning of this?"

"Ah, Kyouya, I am thrilled that you ask! You see, mon ami, it is a grill. You know, and I bought it using the commoner's logic: never pass up a good deal. There are 4 more at home, and I got all of them for only 35 US dollars!"

Here Tamaki struck a pose and wiggled his eyebrows, as if expecting the table to burst into applause. When the only noise he heard was the twins' laughter, he shot them all a martyred look and continued in a hurry.

"But it is a small one. Portable, you could call it! I thought, since you were always on business trips, you would miss home-cooked meals."

"And so… you thought I could grill things. In my hotel room?"

"Bien sûr! Where else? I'm sure, if you need help with the more feminine homely tasks, you could also ask Haruhi – Oh! Haruhi, I see your shoulders shaking! You are obviously overcome with emotion from my thoughtfulness –" Haruhi could hold it in no longer and laughed even louder than the twins had, waving the photo and gasping for breath. After a while, everyone was laughing, even Kyouya.

That had been a good day, he reflected. He supposed that his favorite part of it had been seeing Haruhi laugh.

Actually, just thinking of the onetime Host Club Princess brought a smile to his face like no one else could. As the heir to the Ootori holdings, Kyouya traveled in the highest of society's circles, mingling with the elites, and yet he had never met another woman to compare to her. Within a few months, no, weeks, of his meeting her, she had risen from a simple commoner in his estimation to the girl of his dreams. Her eyes, so deep and expressive he found himself getting lost in them time after time. Her smile, sweet and unassuming. Her bearing, elegant, her personality determined and impossibly kind-hearted. It was the greatest mystery to him as to how people hadn't figured out her real identity sooner; to him, it was obvious. He had fallen, slowly, gradually, and completely in love.

Of course, to 17-year-old Kyouya, this had all been very embarrassing.

In love? With the commoner who dressed like a boy? Preposterous. And who was he supposed to confide in? His father? That was laughable. His sister Fuyumi? She would probably want to be too involved. Anyway, she had better things to do. Tamaki? There, Kyouya felt the greatest uncertainty. For one, he was his best friend. Tamaki had never kept anything from him. And he probably would have confessed to him if he hadn't seen Tamaki's face when he thought Haruhi was hurt. Those eyes, his expression of pain and worry; in fact, it had mirrored what Kyouya felt in his heart. No, his friend was definitely in love with the girl, for all his talk of being her "father."

So he waited. And waited. And waited some more, just for the perfect moment to confess all to her. (Ootoris are big on perfect timing.) But then the conversation with his father had happened.

oOoOo

_The Ootori mansion, 5 years previously…_

It was nearing the end of their last school year. The days were slipping past more quickly than Kyouya had imagined, yet he still said nothing to Haruhi, loath to disturb the easy companionship of the Host Club as the year drew to a close. He arrived home in the evening in a relatively good mood, loosening his tie and dropping his bag in his study chair. As he shrugged off his blazer and tossed it on his bed, Tachibana cleared his throat behind him.

"Your father would like a word."

Kyouya drew his eyebrows together in puzzlement but said nothing, tracing his steps back to his father's office, knocking on the door and waiting to be admitted. He glanced down at the blue tile he was standing on, a habit leftover from his days as a young child, when he would stand nervously before giving his father reports on the stock market.

"Come in," came his father's voice from inside the office.

But a nervous child he was no longer. He raised his head slightly and went in, closing the door gently behind him. His father nodded almost imperceptibly at him and started to speak.

"Now, Kyouya, I've given this some thought, and,…."

With the words that followed, Kyouya's eyes grew slightly wider and a small smile appeared on his face.

Heir to the Ootori Empire.

His father finished speaking and was just observing his reaction, to which Kyouya paid no attention, the wheels already turning inside his brain. The papers he would need to get together, the outlines, his speech to the stockholders… This meant that his father was proud of him, didn't it? Trying, and failing, to ignore the small glow of warmth that evoked in him, he turned his thoughts to his friends instead. Haruhi. She would be happy for him, wouldn't she, and now, he thought privately, _maybe I can compete with Tamaki a bit more now_. In fact, he decided with a rush of adrenaline, he would talk to her about his feelings tomorrow. No, today! He would go over and everything would be –

"Now, about that Fujioka girl…"

And with those five words, Kyouya's heart sank. As his father continued, the smile disappeared from Kyouya's face. And when the short speech was done, Kyouya gave a perfunctory bow to his father and left for his room.

Brushing past Tachibana and Hotta's inquiring expressions and words of concern, he shut the door to his study and covered his face with his hands.

The next day, Kyouya had a new plan. In his first truly selfless decision in his life, for Haruhi's own sake, he decided, he would give her up. After all, why would she ever consider the emotionless Shadow King who put her millions of yen in debt? Tamaki was much better suited to her, with his easy smile and piano-playing skills and princely manner. Useless bum, Kyouya added, quite uncharitably. But no matter. From this moment on, any affection he had for Haruhi Fujioka was history.

oOoOo

Well, that was easier said than done, but with his insane work schedule, Kyouya managed to forget that most people existed beyond the scope of his work, he admitted wryly. His mind returning back to the present, he reflected with considerable regret that he hadn't even bothered to look Haruhi up in Boston when he had been there. He didn't even keep regular tabs on the other Host Club members' locations these days, what with his caseload piling up. That would all change once he got home, he resolved to himself. He'd call Tamaki back, he'd pull up his old files, and update everything. Maybe, he even thought, the ends of his lips quirking up, he'd phone Haruhi.

A few rows over, the same girls from before sat whispering eagerly to each other, debating whether or not one of them should go sit in the empty spot next to that handsome Japanese man, whom one of them had realized was the heir to the Ootori clan, from a recent magazine photoshoot. The bolder of the two had just worked up enough nerve to stand up timidly, but sat back down in a huff as they saw a second figure, petite with close-cropped brown hair, make her way to the seat.

Haruhi Fujioka sighed, hefting her bag and checking her ticket. This was her seat, na? First class is fairly nice, she thought to herself with a quick grin. She swung up her bag, accidentally clipping her seatmate on the elbow, causing him to open his eyes and raise his head to take a look at this impertinent commoner. She heard his sharp intake of breath and looked down, her words of apology dying in her throat as she stared at the man in surprise. "Kyouya-sempai?"

* * *

 

**A/N:**

**How'd you like that? A sudden realization to end the chapter. I realize that this was mostly Kyouya-centric (told you it was kind of a character story), but I promise you'll see from Haruhi next time! Yes, Kyouya has retained enough of his old Host Club charm to smile at (rich) girls (from famous families) in airports :D Also, the grill story is probably my favorite part, because it just seems like something Tamaki would do. I know the conversation with Yoshio was a little mysterious, but it's meant to be like that, I promise. All will be revealed in good time… Review if you liked it! I'll try and update soon.**


	2. Chapter 2

“But you never fly commercial!”

“It’s good to see you too, Haruhi.”

Inside her head, Fujioka Haruhi cursed. _Rich bastard._ And yet… although it was a surprise, she was happy to see him, and a wide smile appeared on her face. 

Seeing her expression change into one of such sheer joy, Kyouya couldn’t help but smile back in return. It was nice to have someone just be thrilled to see him, and that fact that it was Haruhi made it all the more better. And he had just been thinking about her, too. Was it fate? Hardly allowing himself to hope, and forcing himself to stay composed, even if all he wanted to do was take her into his arms and tell her how much he had missed her, he managed to clear his face and inject a sardonic note into his voice.

“Haruhi, are you aware that you are blocking the aisle?”

Behind her, several people were waiting, somewhat impatiently, but also smiling privately to themselves at the obvious delight these two young adults shared at seeing each other unexpectedly, no matter how they tried to conceal it. Haruhi started and hurriedly put her bag up, apologizing to all the people waiting. As she arranged her things and shuffled into her seat, one of the other passengers who had been waiting, a tough-looking older gentleman with a leather jacket slung over his shoulder, winked at Kyouya and mouthed ‘Good luck.’ Kyouya laughed internally and nodded in return to the man. Was it that obvious? Evidently, to everyone except for Haruhi.

Oblivious to everything that was going on behind her, Haruhi made a small sound of satisfaction as she pulled out her jacket and plopped into her seat. Turning to Kyouya, she opened her mouth excitedly to speak just as he began to ask a question.

“You –“ “So – “

They both laughed and Kyouya made a small motion for Haruhi to go ahead, gallant as ever.

“No, your Host Club charms won’t work on me, at least not that easily,” she said with a quick grin. “You first.”

Looking at her face, Kyouya was following the movement of her mouth, the way her eyes crinkled at the sides when she smiled, the way one strand of hair fell over her forehead. He took note of her appearance, changed only slightly since high school. Longer hair, down to about the nape of her neck, with her soft bangs much as they were years prior. She was wearing a sleeveless tunic, plain and white, embroidered at the hem with small flowers, over dark jeans, an outfit he recognized as one from the twins’ spring line a few years back. And was that a hint of jasmine in her perfume? He took in a deep breath, yes, and notes of sandalwood and –

Kyouya was forced to turn his inhalation into a hacking cough abruptly as Haruhi cleared her throat, looking slightly bemused. He mentally smacked himself. Creepy was not what he wanted their first interaction in over a year to be. From now on, he resolved, he would be smooth. Casual. Attentive. To start, he would try to lighten the mood, open up the conversation, ask her about how she was doing. In his mind, he quickly prepared several starters, all positively sparkling with wit and charm, the veritable definition of debonair. He pushed up his glasses, smiled, and opened his mouth to speak.

“I didn’t think you could fly first class.”

Wait. Oh no. What happened to all his clever compliments? The self-deprecating banter? Instead, what came out of his mouth was something that could have been attributed to Tamaki on one of his worse days. ‘I didn’t think you could fly first class?’ He might as well have said ‘I’m surprised to see you’re not living in a straw hut.’ Internally, he was screaming and banging his head repeatedly. On the outside, he attempted to put on a pleasant face and waited for a reply.

oOoOo

Haruhi just laughed. _Some things really never changed_ , she thought, shaking her head– as it seemed, in this case, Kyouya’s bluntness.

“Actually, you’re right, I normally wouldn’t. The law firm I’m working at gave me the tickets. I have to go to some two-day seminar back in Japan held by one of the investors, but it seemed a small price to pay for free tickets and a trip back home so I could see everyone again. And at the cherry blossom time, too! Also, I – Sempai, are you feeling okay? Your expression looks a little pained.”

“No, it’s fine, I’m being pleasant.”

“What?”

“It’s really nothing. Probably just the plane taking off.”

“If you say so,” Haruhi said cheerfully. “Anyways, I called my dad and the rest of the Host Club a few days back to tell them I was coming back today. I had tried calling you too, but your secretary said you were out of town. Actually, I’m not sure who was more excited to hear I was coming back, my dad or Tamaki,” she said with a sigh. “The screams coming from the phone were so loud that Ashton asked me if everything was alright.”

Here Kyouya, whose smile had been growing a little less forced as she kept talking, reverted back to his previous greenish shade.

“Ashton?” he queried innocently. 

Haruhi wondered at the sudden change in subject, but replied to his question, “He’s my supervisor. He’s actually quite young, only a few years older than us, but absolutely brilliant. We’ve been working together on some paperwork for a case the firm is handling – Kyouya-sempai, are you _sure_ you’re alright? You’re looking a little sick. Here, I’ve got some mints,” she said, rummaging around in her bag for a bit before pulling out a tube of store-brand peppermints with a bright reindeer emblazoned on the side. At his amused expression as he nodded at the tube while accepting the mint, she replied, “Oh, these? Ashton gave one to all the interns around Christmastime – Sempai, you really mustn’t pull at your passport like that, it’ll tear.”

She noticed him taking several deep breaths before putting it down and smiling at her. _Eeeeeeh! Scary!,_ she thought, turning away, recalling all the times that that expression had been used on her in the years before. It looked like the Low Blood Pressure Demon Lord was back in full force, even if she couldn’t have known that the humorless yet terrifying smile was not meant for her, but the aforementioned Ashton. Even so, Haruhi decided to change the subject.

“Now it’s my turn for asking questions!”

She opened her mouth to say something, thought better of it, and smacked Kyouya on the arm instead. He was so surprised, the menacing look disappeared from his face, replaced by one of amusement.

“Am I allowed to ask what that was for?” he said wryly, rubbing the spot.

“You didn’t even tell me you were in Boston! Actually, you haven’t even returned any of my calls in months! The only way I know you’re still alive is from that bored secretary of yours, plus Tamaki’s occasional update, and even those are growing less frequent. You know, sempai, we were all getting a little worried.” Waiting for a reply, Haruhi looked up at Kyouya, into those black eyes hidden behind the glasses, wondering what was going on inside his head.

oOoOo

He gazed down into her deep brown eyes, at those irises flecked with gold, marveling at the reproach and concern that filled them. Worried? About him? Mentally, he cursed himself for letting such an expression enter her eyes, while at the same time cherishing the small kernel of hope that her words raised in him. Clearing his throat, he apologized. 

“Gomen ne, Haruhi. I’m sorry,” he said sincerely. “It’s just, work has been piling up, and everything that comes up seems to be highly important and deserving of my immediate attention. There was some deal going on with the government about healthcare facilities, then Fuyumi’s news, and now this merger, which then had some sticky situation right at the very end that I had to take care of,” he sighed. It had actually required some strenuous flattery and the courting of the executive’s daughter with some expensive chocolates, but he had done it.

“Wait, ‘Fuyumi’s news’? What is that, is she alright?” Haruhi interrupted.

Touched by her concern, Kyouya had to laugh it off. “No, nothing bad. Well, it depends on your take on it.” At her inquiring look, he continued, “She’s going to have a baby.”

Haruhi smacked him again. “Stop being sarcastic, sempai, of course it’s good! Ah, I’m very happy for her! Please convey my congratulations to her and her husband. Are you looking forward to it?”

Kyouya smiled, debating mentally what to tell her. He wanted to give a manly appearance, but then… he looked at her face, holding a sweet smile at the news.

“I am actually very happy. I’ve got her some books, and I found some stuffed animals for the baby. It’ll be nice to have a baby in the house.”

“I can’t believe it! The Shadow King likes babies!” Haruhi grinned.

_Was telling her that a mistake?_ “Well, they _are_ fairly cute, and this one will be the heir to their business and –“ he replied defensively.

“I think that’s very sweet of you, Kyouya-sempai.”

_I guess not_ , Kyouya thought, congratulating himself on his quick thinking and conversational mastery. That was enough to say for now; it probably would be going too far to tell her about the nursery that he had had decorated for the baby in soft shades of yellow. Or that the stuffed animals had once been his. A man had to keep up some dignity, after all.

“Anyway,” he continued in a hurry, “you scold me for not calling when you yourself haven’t been back home in over a year!”

“Well, I was busy with work. And studying.” Haruhi responded lamely.

“No need to justify yourself, Haruhi. I understand – you’re probably talking to the only other person in the Host Club who has such a skewed work-life balance,” Kyouya said with a slightly rueful smile. “But even so, you still missed out on the year-before-last’s holiday party. That, and the fact that you wouldn’t pick up your phone, drove Tamaki slightly insane for a few hours.”

They both laughed as Kyouya recalled that party, shaking his head slightly at the memory of Tamaki’s idiocy.

oOoOo

“Mommy! Haruhi still isn’t here!”

“Tamaki, I told you before, she just got an interning position at a very prestigious law firm. She is busy. Just call her. Now go away. I’m sorry, Miss, I hope you’re having a lovely time.” This last part was directed at a willowy redhead wearing entirely too much makeup. She giggled, flattered by the attention she was receiving. And from such a handsome man, nonetheless!

The Host Club was at it again.

Hikaru and Kaoru were throwing _the_ party of the year, inviting all their designer friends, models, and practically the entire elite of Japan. And for old times’ sakes, they had asked the rest of the Host Club to assist them in, well, hosting, the five hundred-plus guests, all of whom were thrilled at a chance to mingle with Japan’s six most eligible, extremely handsome bachelors. 

At this moment, Kyouya was networking, Hikaru and Kaoru were performing magic tricks for their guests, Honey-sempai was talking to a large group of his fans from his high-school days, all of whom were plying him with cake, and Mori-sempai was both watching his cousin and discussing kendo with Yatsuchika using as few words as humanly possible. Oh, and Tamaki was sitting in the back sulking and cultivating a new crop of mushrooms because Haruhi wouldn’t reply to any of his messages, which had started out sweetly enough, then proceeded to outright begging, ending up with him grossly sobbing into the phone.

“Hey, where’s Tono?” Kaoru asked.

After a few minutes of searching and some fruitless persuading on the twins’ part, they called everyone together.

“He’s really taking this harshly, isn’t he?” asked Honey.

“Ah,” Mori replied, looking at the rest of the group.

“Well, what should we do?” whispered Hikaru. “People are bound to notice his absence.”

“They already have,” answered Kyouya, pulling out his ever-present notebook. “I’ve had twenty-two requests for him today, some from daughters of investors in both his company and mine. This is inexcusable.”

“Well, our first option is to get Haruhi to call him. Minimal stress, everyone is happy,” Kaoru started.

“We could always beat some sense into him,” Honey offered sweetly. The rest of the Hosts shivered slightly at these incongruous words coming from the still cherubic-looking young man, although Mori looked slightly approvingly at the thought of beating sense into someone.

“Wait. I have a plan,” Hikaru announced, grinning evilly. He whispered into Kaoru’s ear, who laughed in agreement, and then they both ran off, yelling something vaguely about fetching Nekozawa.

The three left standing there just shrugged at each other and dispersed to talk more with the guests, waiting to see the effects of the twins’ plan.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hikaru and Kaoru waited behind a pillar, snickering, as Nekozawa carefully approached the morose-looking Tamaki, who had already harvested the first crop of mushrooms and was working on cultivating some more.

“Want some?” Tamaki noticed the hooded figure, but at this point didn’t care about anything anymore.

“What?”

“Mushrooms. They’re good.”

“No!”

“Pity.” Tamaki poked at them gloomily.

“I didn’t come here to talk to you about the stupid mushrooms! Anyways, if you drink this, I promise Haruhi will call you back.”

Tamaki perked up instantly.

“Really?”

“Definitely,” Nekozawa promised with a eerie smile, which Tamaki paid no attention to whatsoever. In Tamaki’s defense, Nekozawa made a habit of smiling eerily at all times, so it wasn’t really his fault that he failed to notice that something was up.

Tamaki drained the tall glass in two gulps, gasping at the heat as it hit the back of his throat. Then, a broad smile filled his face and he went bounding off, completely forgetting about Haruhi.

“Are you sure this was a good idea?” Kaoru asked his twin, having some second thoughts about the whole enterprise.

“Well…” Hikaru began uneasily.

“What was in that glass?” Kyouya asked as he, Honey, and Mori joined the twins several minutes later. 

“Vodka,” the twins chanted in unison.

“But we figured that Tono had a high tolerance for alcohol. He’s French, after all.” Kaoru added hurriedly.

“Yeah, and he already acts like he’s drunk all the time anyway,” Hikaru trailed off uncertainly at the look in Kyouya’s eyes.

Not even deigning to give a response, Kyouya stalked off as they heard the noise of women screaming, several slaps, and glass breaking.

“Oops.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Tamaki awoke with a horrible headache late the next morning, surrounded by an understandably frazzled-looking Host Club. Not even bothering to act concerned about his poor head, they started listing off all the things he had done in the past night.

“You owe us new curtains after you thought you saw Belzenef hiding in the shadows and attacked them with a knife,” Kaoru said disapprovingly.

“Also, you tried to sell your mushrooms to everyone in the ballroom,” added Hikaru.

“Don’t forget about the knocking a Christmas tree over so you could use the tinsel as a garland,” said Honey.

“Ah,” Mori said sternly.

Tamaki quailed and looked at Kyouya for some support, instead recoiling from the murderous glare in his eyes.

“Finally, you kissed the American ambassador’s wife. In front of the American ambassador. Was it your intention to start a war four days before Christmas?” Kyouya practically hissed.

“Oh, and Haruhi called you back about five minutes after you left the room,” they all said together. 

Tamaki groaned and put his head into his hands.

oOoOo

Haruhi could scarce draw her breath from laughing so hard. Kyouya saw the humor in it as well, even though she hadn’t been the one who had to calm everyone down. Or the one to accompany Tamaki to apologize to the American ambassador.

They continued in this vein for over an hour, just sitting and reminiscing about good times in the Host Club, intermingled with stories about their lives now. They swapped stories about work and their families, and Haruhi reflected with happiness at the conversation. Kyouya truly was just a lovely person to talk to, witty and intelligent, but kind and caring as well. As he smiled and laughed, she couldn’t help but do the same, wishing that others could see this side of the emotionless Shadow King.

She also noted with concern the circles under his eyes and the way he occasionally lifted up his glasses to rub at his eyes, running his hand through his hair, and begged off the conversation for now, telling him she wanted to rest a bit before they reached Amsterdam. She saw his small smile, as if he saw through her ruse, but he acquiesced gracefully and wished her sweet dreams. However, within minutes, it was him who was sleeping gently, his head sinking lower to rest onto his chest.

Haruhi took the chance to look at him more thoroughly. Despite the signs of fatigue, he was still as attractive as ever, she thought privately. The years since high school had suited him well, adding an inch or two to his height and sharpening his cheekbones. She looked with fondness at his sleeping face, free from any lines and worry at the moment, and remembered his sweet smile when he talked about his sister’s baby.

Oh no.

This was bad. Was she developing feelings for the Shadow King? She had refrained from dating anyone in the Host Club for this reason.

Well, if he kept this up, she was in distinct danger of losing her heart to him.

“Sweet dreams, Kyouya,” she whispered. 

In his sleep, Ootori Kyouya smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :D :D :D I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it! Like I said, I just wanted this to be sweet and funny and I hope I hit the mark. I wanted to make all the dialogue as realistic as possible; I don’t have much experience writing it, so feel free to give me pointers! Kyouya is so cute, don’t you think? (I mean you have to, you just read this chapter) – will Haruhi prove irresistible to his charms? :D What do you think? 
> 
> Anyways, I hope also that you liked that flashback scene! Tamaki is one of my favorite characters to write, so I can’t help including him in all this – I tried to make it so it flowed with the story while not leaving anyone out, guest starring my two problematic favs: Kyoya’s notebook and Nekozawa !
> 
> Ok, and for anyone who is going to gripe about the title, yes I know it’s a LAYOVER in Paradise, not a FLIGHT, but rest assured, we’ll get there soon enough! Until next time~


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My sincerest apologies for the delay – the author’s note at the end will have a slightly more satisfactory explanation, but for now, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Kyouya blinked his eyes open, rubbing the sleep from them, slightly disoriented in the dark. _What? Where am I? Oh yes, the airplane. Flying commercial, as I recall,_ he thought, groaning internally. He peered out the window. _Still the middle of the night I guess. It’s not even morning yet and I’m already in a good mood? What happened? Why on Earth would I be pleased to be flying commercial? In fact,_ he thought indignantly, _it is completely demeaning for me as an Ootori. They don’t even have a bed on this plane! It’s not like I’m that moron Tamaki who rejoices in every opportunity to talk with commoners and eat cheap peanuts, first-class or not_ , he huffed _. I can’t even eat peanuts! I’m allergic! Did they_ want _me to die of anaphylactic shock? It’s a good thing Haruhi told them that before I made sure they all lost their jobs – Wait. Haruhi?_

His head snapped upright and he swiveled slightly, smiling as he observed the petite brunette sitting in her own seat, eyes closed gently and headphones on, snuggled cozily into the oversized jacket she was using a blanket.

 _But why_ , he wondered, _is she looking a little blurry?_

Kyouya blinked again, finally registering the lack of glasses on his face. He frowned, searching around him in the seat to try and find them. _They couldn’t have slipped off my nose_ , he mused while checking underneath his seat. _My father made sure of that years ago, after_ that _incident._ Despite himself, a bittersweet grin came to his face.

oOoOo

The Ootori household, 17 years prior.

Ootori Yoshio sat in his office and sighed, stroking the soft bookmark that he held in his hand. _Hinata, why did you have to leave me?_ Ootori Hinata, as her name suggested, had been the light of everyone’s lives, especially his. And now, cancer had taken her away. He closed his eyes, remembering the first time he had seen her.

\--------

He had been giving a guest lecture at Ouran University, his alma mater, on the developing pharmaceutical industry as a part of the public campaign surrounding his move to take the company into new grounds by entering the pharmaceutical research business. It was risky, yes, for their medical instruments group, the winning formula, so to speak, that had made his own grandfather rich, but he felt it was worth it. He walked briskly out of the classroom, briefcase in hand and turned a corner, brushing past the shoulder of a young lady who walked by with a book at her side. As she walked on, Yoshio realized a small bookmark had fallen out of it and was just lying on the ground. _It’s not my problem, I should just leave it._ _Well, there is a girl involved. She looked pretty. Maybe she’ll be impressed by my thoughtfulness._ He evaluated all the possibilities that could come from this, weighed the costs and the benefits, and then shrugged and stooped to pick up the bookmark. Jogging back to the girl, he tapped her shoulder and attempted a winning smile.

“Madam, is this yours?”

“Oh, thank you for returning this!”

She took the bookmark and then turned away and kept walking. The winning smile was disappearing rapidly from Yoshio’s face. This was not going how he had planned.

“Wait, but –“ He paused, thinking of something to say. “Can I walk with you?”

“I guess,” she replied absent-mindedly, turning at the pages of her book.

“Are – are you a student here?” He cursed himself and his anxiety.

She looked at him speculatively before answering, “Yes.”

Here the girl stopped and looked at him, eyes twinkling. “But I suggest that if we are to continue this conversation, we should sit down somewhere. You’re making me nervous just looming over me like that. Too tall,” she complained. “But look, let’s sit on this bench here,” she called out to him, making her way over with her hand outstretched.

During the course of that conversation, his work forgotten, he had learned a few things:

Her name was Nakagawa Hinata, from a minor political family ( _An acceptable match_ , he thought to himself. _Wait? Who’s thinking of matches? I just met the girl_.).

She was a graduate student in astrophysics, and tried to explain her research to him ( _I’m not sure what she’s talking about but it sounds interesting so I’ll smile for now and look all this up later._ ).

She had 3 elder brothers ( _Yikes._ ).

Her favorite season was spring ( _Do you feel it would be too hasty if I asked for her number?)_.

She loved the smell of old books ( _I’m definitely asking for her number)_.

And, well, the rest was history.

\-------

Yoshio rested his head in one hand. _Hinata, what about our children? You know I love them, but you showed it._ _You were the one who sang them songs, told them jokes, showed them the stars. I care about them a lot, but I have the entire zaibatsu to run. I feel like sometimes I can be too strict, but always you were there to temper that. Yuichi is already 17, but he seems too academically driven to be a shrewd businessman. I wonder where he got that from? And Fuyumi, she’s 15 now. How am I supposed to deal with a teenage girl? She’s trying to fill your role, but no one has the heart to tell her she hasn’t a domestic bone in her body. Those onigiri were barely edible. But, on the bright side, I can tell she will be just as beautiful as her mother. Akito, he used to make so many jokes, appropriate or otherwise. I used to scold him, but now I just want to see him laugh like a normal 11-year-old. And Kyouya, he’s just a child but already checking the stock market! Actually, he reads voraciously, on just about any topic. Lately, Hinata, he’s been falling asleep using my old medical textbooks as pillows,_ he continued with a smile. _But_ , he added, _I can’t afford to be soft with them. They have too many responsibilities._

_Right now, though, I’d like to see them smile again._

Since Hinata-sama’s death, the whole house had been under a melancholy spell. The curtains were drawn, the staff walking around in a hush, and the children aged beyond their years. Dinners were a somber affair, everyone just picking at their food silently at the huge table until they were dismissed. Today was no different, except for the fact that 8-year-old Kyouya had a cold.

Not wanting to bother his father or his nanny, he had just slipped into Yuichi’s room and grabbed some cough syrup (Ootori-brand) from the counter, pushing his glasses up his nose. Actually he didn’t know how much to take. His mother had always done it for him. After he wiped the mutinous tears from his eyes, he downed some of it, but it seemed to be taking a while to kick in. Now, at dinner, his nose wouldn’t stop prickling.

Ahh –

Yuuichi looked up and narrowed his eyes. “Kyouya, don’t make noises.”

Aahhh –

Yoshio gazed sternly from above his glasses, but it was too late.

Aaaachhooooo!

Everyone at the table watched in horror as Kyouya’s ill-fitting glasses sailed across the table and landed directly in Yoshio’s bowl of rice. They sat in silence for a few seconds before Akito could hold it in no longer and broke out into giggles. Eventually, they were all laughing, and even Yoshio’s mouth quirked a little bit.

The next day, he opened the curtains, ordered Kyouya’s glasses tightened, and thanked Hinata’s spirit for lifting those of his children. He threw himself back into his work with a passion, dedicating it all to the memory of his wife, expecting perfection not just from himself but from those around him, especially his children, in everything from their glasses frames to their choice of spouse.

oOoOo

Returning back to the present, albeit slowly (his naps took a lot out of him), Kyouya saw a glimmer of something metallic in Haruhi’s hand, inside the sleeve of the jacket. Slowly, as to not wake her, he opened her hand, marveling at how small it was in comparison to his own, and gazed in surprise at what he saw there. His glasses, nestled neatly into her tiny palm. As he took them out of her hand, she stirred slightly and sat up.

Cursing himself at his clumsiness, Kyouya apologized to her,

“I’m sorry, Haruhi, I –“

“No, no, it’s fine, Sempai,” she cut him off. “I wasn’t really asleep, just resting,” she said, stretching slightly. “After you fell asleep, I just took your glasses off your face because I didn’t want them to fall off. But then, I didn’t have anywhere to put them, so I just had to hold them for a bit, and then I dozed off, and, well, it doesn’t really matter, does it?” She looked down slightly abashedly.

“Still, my thanks, Haruhi. That was remarkably thoughtful of you.”

Haruhi muttered something quietly.

“Did you say something?”

“I said, I always thought you looked more handsome without your glasses anyways.”

Kyouya quirked an eyebrow and sifted through his memories to find the last time she had seen him without his glasses on. He stiffened slightly in embarrassment as he remembered the beachhouse and turned to find Haruhi had done the same, looking away.

He coughed awkwardly to diffuse the tension. _Maybe I should make a joke to lighten the mood._

“However, I’m glad you didn’t lose them, or I would have had to add that to your debt.”

Instead of laughing, Haruhi merely looked confused and marginally worried.

“My debt? Why?”

He sighed internally.

“It was a joke.”

“How is putting me in debt funny, Kyouya-sempai?”

He spluttered, or at least as close as he could come without losing his dignity.

“No, I didn’t mean it like that! I was merely referring back to our high school days. Just forget about it, Haruhi.”

“So it would have been funny to you then, at least?”

“Yes. No!”

A noncommittal “Hmm…” was all he received in reply.

 _Shit. I forgot that the girl is a lawyer. A damn good one too, if this cross-examination is anything to go by. She is quite literally out of my league_ , Kyouya thought wryly.

 _Still, it looks like Plan A (Impress Haruhi With My Wit, or IHWMW for short) can be scratched off the list_ , he continued, slightly morosely.

 _Well, maybe I can impress her with my looks? She’s never been one to be overwhelmed by superficial stuff like that_ (little did he know) _, but it can’t hurt to give it a shot._ He hastily composed his face and turned nonchalantly to provide the best profile. Suddenly he was glad that Tamaki had made all of the Host Club practice model poses in the mirror. He peered from the corner of his eye to judge her reaction, then turned fully in exasperation as he saw Haruhi staring off into the distance, obviously thinking something over, not paying any attention to him at all.

_Whatever._

oOoOo

That stupid Ootori Kyouya.

It wasn’t even like he had done anything wrong. In fact, he had done everything right. If she had been keeping score (which she most definitely was not), he would have probably earned 10/10, and extra marks for good behavior as well.

So why was she feeling so vexed?

He was just so… so… smooth. He looked cool, confident, collected, even in his sleep, like some kind of statue. And he was just as attractive as he had been before! That smile! Those cheekbones! His eyes! Why, oh, why was she feeling so fluttery?

 _This entire situation is idiotic_ , one part of her said. _Sempai_ , she thought, using the honorific heavily, _is a businessman. Don’t get carried away. His entire profession is based on keeping up appearances._

 _Something he’s doing quite well, don’t you think?_ her traitorous side added mischievously.

_You shut up._

_But he said he liked babies! That’s adorable!_

_That’s true_ , she said, melting slightly as she thought of the sweet smile that had played on his lips as he talked about that – _Wait. Stay focused. Don’t let yourself get pulled into this silly infatuation like you did in high school. You’re older now. You know better._

 _Oh, now you’re bringing up memories of high school now? That was a low blow, subconscious_ , Haruhi thought sarcastically.

_Get a grip, Haruhi, you’re not normally one to be swayed by a handsome face. You spent all of high school with the boys who have grown up to be the most eligible bachelors in Japan. You’re set to become the top lawyer in the country. You’re not one to rush into decisions._

_No one’s rushing into anything. Let’s just wait and see for now._

_That’s something we can definitely agree on._

Having resolved to not let her emotions get to her, Haruhi turned back to Kyouya, only to find him staring pensively out the window, a worn-looking book clasped in his lap.

She peered past him through the window out at the night sky, and then gasped slightly, leaning forward and resting her hand on his arm as she got a better look.

He turned around in surprise, then smiled at her.

“Looking at the stars too?”

“It’s so clear! I haven’t seen so many. All my other flights, they were either during the day or the clouds were too thick, but now, this is – this is amazing, Sempai!”

“I know. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

His voice was low and soft. He looked at her with kind of a wistful smile, and she was suddenly aware that they were the only ones awake on the plane, with her head practically resting on his shoulder.

_But that voice… is the façade cracking?_

Kyouya took a deep breath, as if coming to a decision, then continued.

“I don’t think I’ve ever told you about my mother, have I?”

 _No, in fact, he hasn’t,_ Haruhi thought with some surprise. _But then again, his parents were a topic that Tamaki told me not to bring up with him. I know his father, but his mother…?_

“You remember your mother at certain times, yes? Whenever you’re somewhere you associated her with, be it the courtroom or the living room, but you feel her presence?”

“Hai, Kyouya-sempai, that’s true.” Haruhi gave a soft smile.

_Remembering his mother? Oh no, that must mean –_

“It’s curious.” Kyouya gave a breathless laugh and pushed his glasses up his nose. “My mother, the astrophysicist, has been gone nearly 17 years, and I still think of her every time I see the night sky.”

It was obvious, from the tone of his voice and the set of his jaw, that he was not looking for pity or sympathy in any way. To her, it seemed like he just wanted to relate something. She could understand.

 _Oh, Sempai. We have more in common than I thought,_ she sighed.

Even so, she placed her hand on his arm and gazed into his eyes behind those flat panes of glass. Reading in them silent thanks, she watched him place his own hand over hers and continue.

“She was – she was an extraordinary woman. She was warm, always caring. She hated to make anyone feel bad, and would tell any number of bad jokes to get them to be happy. She was the perfect wife to my father and the perfect mother to my siblings and me. And, she was absolutely brilliant. A doctorate in astrophysics – the field that she absolutely adored.” He smiled distantly, recalling some memory or the other.

“She missed working and researching, something that she did less and less of, especially after Yuichi came along, but she would always take us out to the fancy telescope at her old university and show us the stars, and if we didn’t have time for that, we would just sit on the balcony and look at the sky.

“Yuichi grew out of this fairly quickly, as did Fuyumi, and Akito was far too impatient to sit anywhere for long periods of time, so mostly, it was just me and her. I would be sitting there, mesmerized, as she talked about the cosmos. Haruhi,” he said, leaning forward intently, “did you know that there are billions upon billions of galaxies out there? And in each of those galaxies, millions of solar systems, each with their own star to call a sun. And the sheer scale of all this! Space is just so – big! It sounds trite, but there’s really no other way to put it. Just think about it, we go about our daily lives on a small planet in a universe where, on a daily basis, stars are born and die, galaxies collide, and black holes devour entire solar systems! It’s really quite wonderful,” he said, laughing out of sheer delight.

Haruhi was sitting there mesmerized herself, carried away by the picture his words painted. _I’ve never seen him quite so animated about, well, anything! He sounds so excited, like a little kid._ She smiled to see him so happy and allowed herself to rest her head on his shoulder.

“It sounds amazing,” she said with a grin. “You know, Sempai, when I was a kid, sometimes I was afraid to look too much at the night sky.”

“Really?” Kyouya asked curiously. “Why?”

“For those same reasons that you loved it so much! It seemed so big, I thought our small planet would get lost in all of it!”

They laughed together.

“Hmm, you have a point,” Kyouya replied thoughtfully. “I understand. My mother was scared of entropy,” he said.

“What, the inexorable march towards chaos and death? Whatever for?” Haruhi asked dryly.

“That’s exactly what I told her,” he replied with his characteristic smirk. “No, but really. Entropy. I thought it was such a sciencey thing to say, but really, doesn’t everyone feel it?”

“I guess that’s another way of phrasing crippling existential angst.” Haruhi was laughing, but inside, she understood perfectly. “But how did she deal with it?”

“Whenever I would ask her that, she would just hug me and tell me that her love for her family was so strong that it overcame the entropy to put her own personal universe in order.” He laughed. “Then I would tell her that wasn’t physically possible. And then she would hug me even tighter and tell me I was too smart for my own good, which meant that I was definitely her son.”

She saw him turn his face away and swipe at his eyes with the heel of his hand.

He drew in a ragged breath and looked at her with a rueful smile on his face, his grip on her hand tightening.

“I wish you could have met her, Haruhi. She really was incredible. I – I think that she would have liked you.”

Haruhi felt her throat close up and tears prick at her eyes.

“I think I would have liked her too.”

_So, subconscious, what do you think of that?_

_Oh, fine, I think you’re allowed to fall in love with him after that._

oOoOo

Kyouya was surprised at himself.

 _I’ve never told anyone that much about my mother, not even Tamaki. I don’t know what prompted me to do that. But –_ here he glanced at Haruhi, recalling the glimmer of tears in her eyes. He smiled. _I guess it was worth it._

_Thank you, Mother._

He would have been content to sit like that, with Haruhi’s head on his shoulder and his hand over hers, for eternity, but she finally stirred and looked at him.

“What book is that?”

He pulled the book from his lap and showed it to her.

“Oh, this? _Pride and Prejudice._ ”

“Really? Oh, that’s been my favorite for years!” she sighed. Kyouya smiled.

“I know. You told me, remember?”

Haruhi looked at him in surprise, recalling that long-ago conversation. “I do. I just didn’t think you would.”

“Ah, Haruhi, never underestimate the power of a superior mind.” He paused. “That was also a joke, in case you were wondering.”

She just rolled her eyes and snatched the book from his hand, leafing through the pages eagerly.

 _Haruhi, I remember everything about you. Why would your favorite book be any different? I had gotten it for you, after all. All those years ago._ He wasn’t entirely sure why he had brought the book along. Probably just sentimental value, the kind of thing he usually abhorred. _It’s not very rational for me to be attached to a book. And to a novel, no less._ Back then, he had spent hours searching for the perfect gift for Haruhi to tell her of his love, and he hadn’t even given it to her. In the years since, he had read the book over and over, feeling the distance between him and Haruhi grow smaller as he saw flashes of her in the willful, intelligent Elizabeth. _Would that make me Mr. Darcy?_ He grinned wryly. _I guess we’ll just have to see._

“It’s a beautiful book, too. Such a pretty cover!” Haruhi exclaimed. Where did you find it?”

“Oh, from an old bookseller. I think it had been important to him, but he said he hoped it would bring me as much luck as it had for him.” Here Kyouya smiled at her. “But that’s a secret.”

Haruhi laughed, then asking him,

“When do you think we’ll get to Amsterdam?”

He pulled up the map on the screen in front of him.

“It looks like about 2 more hours.”

“So, when we get there, it’ll be morning, but our flight to Japan isn’t until the evening.” Haruhi thought out loud.

“Do you – that is, do you have anything planned, in the meantime?” Kyouya stammered slightly getting the words out.

“Nope, no plans,” she replied. “Unless, um, Sempai, you want to do something?” she continued hesitantly.

“Well then, I guess it’s a date.”

Kyouya was already pulling out his notebook to jot down some notes about potential travel destinations in Amsterdam. _Now, this Plan C – it just might work._ The Shadow King was back in full force.

_This is going to be perfect._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, I have to apologize again to all my readers for the hiatus in writing – senior year got in the way, and free time for anything was at a minimum. But with college applications over, everything settled, and summer in full swing, I decided to give Kyouya and Haruhi another chance :s chapter was already written and posted on ff.net, but since I wasn’t sure if I was going to continue this story beyond this point, I didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up by posting it here. But with college applications over, everything settled, and summer in full swing, I decided to give Kyouya and Haruhi another chance :) A big thank-you to everyone for the response and feedback – it’s been startling but very gratifying, especially for my first fic ever, and it’s really only because of those kind words of encouragement that I decided to keep going with this. The next chapter should be up sometime in the next two weeks; in the meantime, tell me if you liked this chapter, or if you have any advice or suggestions, or even if you just want to talk! Drop a review or message me on my tumblr:
> 
> my-chordae-tendineae.tumblr.com (main page)  
> mikoshiba-inu.tumblr.com (anime stuff – if anyone’s interested, I can keep y’all posted with updates here ?)
> 
> Till next time!


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